I happen to find detective shows boring; they just never thrilled me. I have long grown apart from it, but as a kid, I studied a lot about different serial killers. None of it fit my style of seeing real crime scene photos that don’t hold back. With that in mind, Strange Harvest is several stories in one.

Let’s get into the review.

Synopsis

Detectives are thrust into a chilling hunt for “Mr. Shiny”-a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark cosmic force.

With FX that would impress even Tom Savini himself, the film really grew on me. At first, I was unimpressed, thinking it was the usual cops and robbers type movie. However, the film quickly grabbed my attention. From the first few minutes, I was really excited to watch. The very first crime scene photos were life-changing in a movie or show quite like this.  Strange Harvest became even better as we got further into the film. Besides the dead bodies, the film really did make me feel as if this were a true story. The realism caught me off guard, and oftentimes, I found something to trigger me.

Though there were some really uncomfortanle scenes that broke the unwritten horror rules. The film quickly sucked me back in, however. The entire premise could easily happen to anyone; we already know the big names of serial killer history, but not the ones, such as this, that fly under the radar. They happen every day, somewhere in the world. So we already know the evil minds still exist today. Strange Harvest actually spooked me quite a bit. It was a good thing I watched it with the lights on, because some parts of the movie made me sleep with one eye open, watching the window all night.

The last film that got into my head was the first Paranormal Activity. Strange Harvest not only made me paranoid, but I was also afraid for days. Strange Harvest was one step away from intrusive thoughts; however, the film impressed me with fear. This wasn’t some heavy-footed steps; this was realism, and normally I hate those types of films. It was made for you to feel uncomfortable, but it also doesn’t blur the line between realism and fantasy.

In The End

In the end, I really enjoyed the film. It gave me a new view on detective-related shows and films. Strange Harvest is going into my list of movies in rotation when I work and need a great background noise; a perception that I loved this, but not too many others. I know there are some movies with masked villains chasing someone around with an array of tools and tricks. I easily recommend this film, which you can find on Hulu.

Heed my warning, however, because you are about to enter a new world. A world that should stick to the horror genre forever. Maybe I am hyping it up just a tad, but it doesn’t keep me from being a fan.

The nominated Oscar shorts come in three categories — and a lot of subjects, styles and temperaments. It’s further proof that an award dictated by length needn’t be bound by anything else.

In the live-action category, a mixed bag of approaches — some inspired by classic literature — are burnished by inspired performances. Lee Knight’s “A Friend of Dorothy” may be a tad on the nose about the cultural and emotional impact of a lonely London widow on a closeted teenaged boy. But leads Miriam Margolyes and Alistair Nwachukwu practically shimmer with humor and warmth. “Jane Austen’s Period Drama,” a loving tweak of the writer’s oeuvre from Steve Pinder and Julia Aks (who also stars), is essentially a one-joke calling card to make feature comedies and it should do the job. Its cast is exactly the sprightly ensemble needed to land its what-if laughs.

Two others just miss the mark in terms of bringing their tensions to powerful resolutions yet benefit from who the camera adores. Meyer Levinson-Blount’s “Butcher’s Stain,” centered on a flimsy accusation against a friendly Palestinian butcher in an Israeli market, undercuts its gripping story with lackadaisical filmmaking and an unnecessary subplot, but lead Omar Sameer is commanding. The black-and-white future shock “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” directed by Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh, is an uneven Euro-art bath of unrealized intimacy and casual violence — kissing is punishable by death, slapping is currency — but is given exquisite tautness by the elegant, unrequited swooniness of stars Zar Amir and Luana Bajrami.

Then there’s my favorite, Sam A. Davis’ likely winner “The Singers,” from Ivan Turgenev’s short story, which pays off handsomely in bites of soulful warbling that briefly turn a barroom’s den of anesthesia into a temple of feeling.

Most of this year’s documentary nominees deal with the grimmest of tragedies, as in “All the Empty Rooms” and “Children No More: Were and Are Gone,” which address the remembrance of children brutally killed. The former film, from Joshua Seftel, follows CBS correspondent Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp on an essay project into the bedrooms of kids gunned down in school shootings, their private worlds heartbreakingly preserved by their families. The latter short, directed by Hilla Medalia, witnesses Tel Aviv’s silent vigils for Gaza’s children, protests marked by posters with beaming faces, and sometimes met with open scorn. These are dutiful, sobering acts of mourning — Seftel’s is the probable awardee. You may wish they were more than that, however, considering the issues (guns, war, political intransigence) that created the devastation.

Combat is what drove award-winning photojournalist Brent Renaud, killed in Ukraine in 2022. But his brother Craig’s memorializing of him, “Armed Only With a Camera,” is oddly uninvolving, more an excerpted flipbook of Brent’s far-flung assignments than a meaningful portrait of excelling at a dangerous job. A more affecting real-world dispatch (and my pick, if I could vote) is “The Devil Is Busy,” directed by Christalyn Hampton and dual nominee Geeta Gandbhir, also up for the feature “The Perfect Neighbor.” It observes a day in the operation of a carefully guarded, female-run Georgia abortion clinic as if it were a newly medieval world’s last chance healthcare outpost, getting by on grit, compassion and prayer. You certainly won’t forget security head Tracii, the clinic’s heavyhearted knight and guide.

A scene from “Perfectly a Strangeness,” nominated in the documentary short category.

(Roadside Attractions)

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Your chaser is Alison McAlpine’s appealing, aptly titled “Perfectly a Strangeness,” sans humans, but starring three donkeys in an unnamed desert happening upon a cluster of hilltop observatories. The whir of science meets the wonder of nature and this charming, gorgeously shot ode to discovery (both on Earth and out there) makes one hope the motion picture academy sees fit to recognize more imaginative nonfiction works going forward.

Animation, of course, thrives on the thrill of conjured worlds, like the one in Konstantin Bronzit’s wordless (but not soundless) desert island farce “The Three Sisters.” It owes nothing to Chekhov — though there are seagulls — but much to a classically Russian sense of humor and a Chaplinesque ingenuity. Elsewhere, you can watch the overly cute Christian homily “Forevergreen,” from Nathan Engelhardt and Jeremy Spears, about a nurturing tree, a restless bear and the dangerous allure of potato chips. The message gets muddled but this eco-conscious journey is charming.

It’s tough to predict a winner when the entrants are this strong, but John Kelly’s “Retirement Plan” feasts on wry relatability, as Domhnall Gleeson narrates a paunchy middle-aged man’s ambitious post-career goals, while the cascade of deadpan funny, thickly-lined and mundanely hued images stress a more poignant, finite reality. In its all-too-human view of life, this is, entertainingly, whatever the opposite of a cloying graduation speech is.

A scene from “Retirement Plan,” nominated in the animated short category.

(Roadside Attractions)

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The spindly aged-doll puppetry in the stop-motion gem “The Girl Who Cried Pearls” marks a sly fable of need, greed and destiny, centered on a wealthy grandfather’s Dickensian fashioning of his poverty-stricken childhood in early 19th century Montreal. Filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski find an enchanting balance between storybook allure and adult trickery. Maybe this one steals it?

Whichever the case, the animation that moved me the most is “Butterfly,” from Florence Miailhe, imagining the last, memory-laden swim of Jewish French-Algerian athlete Alfred Nakache, who competed in the Olympics before and after the Holocaust. In the cocooning fluidity of an ocean-borne day, rendered with thick-brushed painterliness and splashes of sound, we travel across flashes of community, injustice, achievement, love and despair. The visual, thematic constant, though, is water as a haven and a poetic life force that feeds renewal.

Hey guys! Ready to dive headfirst into the world of the undead? If you’re anything like me, you’re probably obsessed with zombie movies. There’s just something about the thrill of the chase, the suspense, and the sheer chaos that keeps us coming back for more. In this article, we’re going to take a deep dive into some of the best zombie apocalypse movies out there, looking at what makes them so awesome and why you absolutely need to watch them. From the classics that started it all to the modern blockbusters that redefined the genre, we’ve got something for everyone. So, grab your popcorn, maybe a baseball bat (just in case), and let’s get started!

The Undead Unleashed: A Look at the Zombie Genre

Before we jump into the reviews, let’s chat about what makes a great zombie movie, shall we? The zombie genre has evolved massively over the years. Initially, zombies were often slow, shambling creatures, easily dispatched. Think of George A. Romero’s iconic films. They were more about social commentary and less about the zombies themselves. Over time, the undead got a serious upgrade! We’re talking about faster, smarter, and way more terrifying zombies. This evolution has led to some incredible variations in storytelling and action.

Now, what makes a zombie movie truly stand out? First, it’s gotta have great characters. We need to care about the people fighting for survival. Are they relatable? Do they have compelling backstories? Their struggles, their relationships, and the difficult choices they make during the zombie apocalypse can make or break a film. Second, the atmosphere is key. The best zombie movies create a sense of dread, claustrophobia, and constant tension. The world needs to feel dangerous and unpredictable. A decaying city, a deserted town, or a heavily guarded compound – the setting is almost a character itself. Third, the zombies themselves need to be done right. Are they scary? Are they threatening? Do they have unique characteristics? The visual design of the zombies, how they move, and the way they are dealt with contribute to the overall experience. A fresh take on the undead can revitalize a genre that, let’s be honest, can sometimes feel a bit repetitive. Finally, and this is super important, a good zombie movie needs a strong story. The plot should keep you hooked, with unexpected twists and turns. It should have a clear goal, high stakes, and a satisfying resolution (or, you know, at least a memorable cliffhanger!). With these elements in mind, let’s see which movies have nailed it!

Top Zombie Apocalypse Movies You Can’t Miss

Alright, let’s get to the good stuff! Here are some of the best zombie apocalypse movies that you absolutely have to watch:

1. 28 Days Later (2002)

Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later is a game-changer. It didn’t invent the zombie genre, but it sure as hell revolutionized it. Forget slow, lumbering zombies; these infected individuals are fast, furious, and utterly terrifying. The movie follows Cillian Murphy as Jim, who wakes up from a coma to find London deserted and overrun by rage-filled infected humans. The cinematography is stunning, capturing the desolation of a post-apocalyptic London. The pacing is relentless, with the infected providing some of the most heart-stopping chase sequences in movie history. Beyond the action, 28 Days Later offers a powerful commentary on human nature and the breakdown of society. It asks, who are the real monsters? The infected, or the survivors struggling to rebuild?

• Why it’s a must-watch: Fast-paced, intense, and a true visual feast. It redefined zombie speed and intensity.
• Key elements: Fast zombies, desolate environments, and a gripping survival story.

2. Dawn of the Dead (1978)

George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead is a zombie classic. A group of survivors takes refuge in a shopping mall during a zombie outbreak. This movie is a brilliant satire of consumerism. While they’re battling the undead, they also have to deal with the temptations of the mall. The practical effects are gruesome and impressive, even by today’s standards. Romero uses the zombie outbreak to comment on societal issues. It’s a great example of how the zombie genre can be used to make broader points about society. Dawn of the Dead is a must-see for any zombie fan.

• Why it’s a must-watch: A genre-defining classic, with fantastic effects and social commentary.
• Key elements: Shopping mall setting, practical effects, and social satire.

3. Train to Busan (2016)

Train to Busan is a South Korean zombie thriller that delivers pure adrenaline. A group of passengers on a train from Seoul to Busan find themselves in the middle of a zombie outbreak. The claustrophobic setting of the train intensifies the suspense. This movie has fantastic action sequences, heartfelt moments, and some genuinely shocking moments. Train to Busan isn’t just about survival; it’s about the bonds of family and the lengths people will go to protect each other. If you’re looking for a zombie movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is it.

• Why it’s a must-watch: Intense, emotional, and a masterclass in suspense.
• Key elements: Claustrophobic setting, emotional depth, and incredible action.

4. World War Z (2013)

World War Z takes a global approach to the zombie apocalypse. Brad Pitt plays a former UN investigator racing against time to find a cure. The movie features huge, sweeping shots of zombie hordes, which is a spectacle to behold. Although it differs significantly from the book, it’s a thrilling action movie with fantastic production values. It offers a fresh perspective, exploring the worldwide impact of the outbreak. It’s fast-paced, action-packed, and full of memorable scenes.

• Why it’s a must-watch: Large-scale action and a global perspective on the outbreak.
• Key elements: Global scope, action sequences, and a race against time.

5. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Shaun of the Dead is a comedy-horror masterpiece. It follows Shaun, a man who is trying to turn his life around during the zombie apocalypse. The film perfectly blends humor with horror, creating a unique and entertaining experience. The characters are lovable, and the jokes land perfectly. If you want a zombie movie that makes you laugh and scream, Shaun of the Dead is the perfect choice.

• Why it’s a must-watch: A hilarious and heartwarming take on the zombie genre.
• Key elements: Comedy, strong characters, and a unique blend of genres.

Honorable Mentions and Underrated Gems

While the movies above are essential viewing, there are plenty of other zombie films that deserve a shout-out. For example, [REC] (2007) is a found-footage Spanish horror film that is terrifying. Its claustrophobic setting and relentless pacing will keep you on the edge of your seat. Zombieland (2009) is a fun and quirky road trip movie that offers a lighter take on the zombie genre. The Girl with All the Gifts (2016) is a thought-provoking film that explores themes of humanity and survival in a unique way. One Cut of the Dead (2017) is a Japanese zombie comedy that starts as a low-budget zombie film and then cleverly twists into something more. It’s a meta-commentary on filmmaking that is both funny and surprisingly touching. These movies may not be as well-known as the blockbusters, but they each offer something unique to the genre.

The End is Nigh: Final Thoughts

So there you have it, folks! A rundown of some of the best zombie apocalypse movies out there. From the fast-paced thrills of 28 Days Later to the social commentary of Dawn of the Dead, there’s a zombie movie for everyone. The genre continues to evolve, offering new perspectives on human nature, survival, and what it means to be alive. So, next time you’re looking for a thrill, grab some snacks, dim the lights, and settle in for a night of zombie fun. You might just find yourself screaming at the screen, and that’s the whole point, right?

What are your favorite zombie movies? Let me know in the comments below! And don’t forget to stay safe out there… you know, just in case!